How to use a pipette: Volatile liquids (video)

How to use a pipette: Volatile liquids

Hi there, volatile liquids, such as ethanol can prove to be difficult liquids, to pipe it accurately. They evaporate much faster compared to equation solutions, which in turn can often lead to dripping tips - something likely experienced by most people who have ever pipetted with them.

When working with volatile liquids, it's generally considered good practice, to prevent the tip before beginning. Using the liquid you'll be pipetting aspirate and dispense the full volume of the tip three times, to help equilibrize the air pressure and humidity inside the tip.

The best speed of aspirating and dispensing can sometimes vary from liquid to liquid. However, with all volatile liquids it's recommended to work quickly. After aspiration pipe it into the target vessel as quickly as possible.

Reverse pipetting or discarding a waste dispense after your finished pipetting is also a technique, which can be implemented with volatile liquids, if results are important.

 

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